Governor Brian Kemp (R) announced a $1,000 bonus on Monday for those who work in Georgia’s schools, and introduce legislation to provide Georgia with more school funding and fund a permanent, annual bonus.
In a joint announcement with Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington), and State Representative Matt Hatchett (R-Dublin), Kemp announced a $1,000 “state employee retention pay supplement” for more than 300,000 Georgia teachers and state employees who work in education.
Kemp said in a statement the bonus is meant to express his thanks to state employees after “the pandemic, a summer of unrest, and the unprecedented challenges of the last several years. ” The governor confirmed, “This retention pay supplement will arrive during the holiday season, and it’s part of my administration’s way of showing our appreciation for all that they do.”
The governor said his 2024 budget will include $330 million for the one-time bonuses to continue, and will “include more than $100 million to provide ongoing annual funding for local K-12 schools for school security and safety.” Kemp explained the “funding comes on top of the $7,000 pay raise and historic K-12 funding levels we’ve put in place since I took office,” citing his 2019 approval of $30,000 grants for Georgia schools.
Lt. Governor Burt Jones expressed gratitude for Kemp “for his support of significant funding for local school safety initiatives,” and said he expects future “school safety measures in the future.”
Similarly, Burns stated his approval of the bonuses, and said the funding means Georgia prioritizes school safety and employee retention.”We look forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate to make these priorities a reality during the upcoming legislative session,” Burns added.
The bonuses follow an October report which revealed Georgia was flush with nearly $11 billion in cash reserves, $5.4 billion in the state’s rainy day fund, and an additional $2 billion in its lottery reserve fund.
Kemp ostensibly used some of the surplus to purchase $10 million in Israeli bonds in response to Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel, and recently pitched legislation to “accelerate” his previous tax cuts in 2024 and subsequent years. If passed by lawmakers, Kemp’s plan would see Georgia’s income tax decline annually until the tax rate falls to 4.99 percent from 5.49 percent.
The governor also secured $1 billion for tax “refunds” for Georgians that were sent earlier this year. Single taxpayers received $250, and joint filers and heads of households received $375.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Gov Kemp Announcement” by Gov. Brian Kemp.
